The Bridging the Digital Divide Program

A 2001 UN study shows that IT progress is a more important factor for increased life
expectancy than higher incomes or higher education.

- United Nations Development Programme (2001)

Broadly speaking, the term "digital divide" refers to disparities in access to and
facility with information technology based on demographic factors such as race, ethnicity,
income, education, and gender. Most of the energy put towards this issue focuses on
the problem of access to resources and not enough on helping people to acquire the
skills necessary to properly utilize IT.